Ecstasy of Blue
by Bibly
Summary: After a close battle with Rock, Bass slowly realizes that his hatred for the Blue Bomber is anything but that. ~ * Finished! * ~
1. Something About You

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Ecstasy of Blue  
Chapter One: Something About You  
By: Bibly

"He beat me again! I was so close to finally defeating him, and he beat me!" Bass shouted as he stormed down the corridor, holding his battered left shoulder with his bleeding right hand. The many Robot Masters that were present moved away from him as he rushed passed, all of them scared of the black-armored bioroid. He was someone all of them knew quite tough to defeat when he was furious.

Slamming the door open to his quarters, Bass headed inside, waiting until his faithful dog Treble walked in before closing it and slamming his back against it. He slowly slipped to the ground, still clenching his shoulder. "I was so close!" he muttered. "So fucking close…" Baring his teeth, he bowed his head, staring at the gray tiled floor on which he sat. _He could have killed me… He could have killed me, but he didn't. He never does. Why doesn't he just kill me? Is he toying with me? …No, wait, he couldn't be toying with me! He's the pacifist loser who wouldn't kill even if a gun was put to his head and his life was on the line! _Bass growled, covering his face with his hands. His body shook violently as he breathed in deeply. Foreign thoughts suddenly flooded into his mind as he sat thinking of the Blue Bomber, thoughts he never had before, thoughts that never came to mind before. _…But…I guess…in a way…it's…nice of him not to kill me…_ He shook his head, hard. "What am I thinking?!" he yelled, scaring his purple robotic dog. "It's not nice of him! If he would just finish the fucking job, I wouldn't have to put up with Wily afterwards! Better yet, if I could just _kill_ him, then all of this could be over with!" Bass slammed his fist on the ground, cracking the tile. He stood up, shaking violently, the unusual thoughts still clawing at his mind.

Opening the door slightly, he starred at the wood block, then slowly turned to face his canine partner. "C'mon, Treble." He growled. "We've gotta face up to the psychotic old man." Treble's eyes narrowed at the very thought of Wily and followed his master out the door.

After a few moments of walking, the two stepped into Dr. Wily's lab, staring at his back. The doctor was hunched over a small monitor, watching the events that had taken place during Bass's battle with Mega Man. Bass could tell he wasn't happy with the outcome of the battle, and yet, when he spoke, Bass swore he sensed humor in his voice.

"Bass!" Wily shouted, still facing the monitor. Bass stood his ground, Treble standing at his side. Slowly, their master turned around to look at them, a strange glint in his eyes. "You have failed me once again, Bass!" The bioroid lowered his head, peering at him from beneath his helmet. "Tell me, why should I repair you if all you are going to do is fail?"

"I'll get him the next time," Bass growled in defense, his red eyes shimmering in absolute hatred towards Wily. "He'll be begging for his life at my feet the next time we battle!"

"You say that each and every time! And, what happens? You FAIL!"

"I MEAN IT!!" Bass shouted, clenching his fists. He pointed at the monitor behind Wily, screaming, his body seeming to ache more with a pain he never felt before with each word he spat, "You saw how close I was! It was the closest I've gotten thus far! Next time, HIS blood will be splattered against the concrete, HIS blood with drip off my very fingertips, HIS blood will seep from his body as he takes his last gasps for air before finally dying like the lowly dog he is!!"

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

Crickets chirped into the night, singing to the star-filled sky that shown above as the moon looked down upon those who walked in the darkness. A small, soft sphere of light shown from within the forest, coming from a large house which – despite the time of night – was bustling with life. A young, blonde-haired girl stood outside the door, her hands cupped together at her chest as her eyes radiated with extreme nervousness and worry. A red robotic dog stood at her side, also looking extremely worried. Rush whined insistently until he finally laid down, staring straight ahead. _Rock, where are you? You've been gone for hours; you were just supposed to get some milk and come right back home!_ She sniffled, holding back tears of worry.

"He's still not here, is he?" a deep voice whispered from behind her, startling her.

Turning around, the blonde spotted a teenage boy adorned in a white t-shirt and baggy black pants, a yellow scarf laying dormant around his neck, sunglasses blocking his eyes from everything around him. It seemed that even during the darkest of nights, Blues never stopped wearing his sunglasses.

"No…," she whispered, shaking his head. "Something's wrong, I just know it!" She turned to her older brother. "Blues, please, we have to find him!"

Blues patted her on the head. "Roll, calm down. Rock can take care of himself, and don't ever lose faith in him. I'm sure he went to the park or something and fell asleep while watching the sunset."

The soft rustling of leaves silenced Roll from commenting on what Blues had just stated. They both listened intently to the sound, looking around to see what was causing it. "…What in all hell…? There isn't a bit of wind blowing so what is –"

"ROCK!" Roll shouted as she took off running towards someone who had collapsed from behind the bushes, Rush and Blues right at her heels. "Oh my God, Rock!" She knelt down at his side, placing her hands on his arm. "Rock, what happened?!"

Rock looked at his two siblings, smiling when he felt Rush immediately start licking his face. He laughed slightly, a soft smile on his face. "Rush, it's okay, it's okay, I'm fine."

"You don't look fine," Blues stated, kneeling down on his other side. "Mind telling us what happened?"

Rock tried to stand up on his own, but was immediately helped by both Roll and Blues. His left leg was bleeding profusely from a large gash that started from his hip to a few inches above his knee. His armor was covered in dust and scratches; his helmet was dented in numerous places. He spoke softly as they headed toward the house. "Well, I was on my way to get the milk Dr. Light wanted me to get…but Bass jumped me on the way. He's…gotten better."

"Obviously," Blues agreed.

"Blues!" Roll glared at him.

"Well, it's true, ain't it?" Blues shrugged. Just as they entered the house, he shouted, "Hey, hey Doc! We've got an 'mergency over here!"

Dr. Light rushed into the room, looking the Blue Bomber over with concern worn on his face. "My God, son, what happened to you? No, no, that can wait! Quick, bring Rock to the lab! We have to tend to that wound right away!"

As they dragged Rock to the lab as quickly as they possibly could without injuring him any further, he closed his eyes. _Bass, I know we're not meant to be enemies. I feel good intentions within you. And I can only hope that what I feel is true… I can only hope that how I feel is an affection that you want to return…_

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

Bass stood before his window, adorned in only a pair of black boxers as he looked out into the darkness that surrounded Wily's newest Skull Fortress, the black bioroid's home until he finally lost all patience for the doctor and his insane quirks. Running a hand though his purple hair, he crossed his arms over his chest. Slowly, he glanced down at his now repaired shoulder. The more he looked at it, the more it seemed like nothing had ever pierced through his skin. It was as good as new. No scar, no marks, no nothing. It was even the same tone as the material around it. But no matter how clean and perfect it looked, it was nowhere near as perfect as his rival. _I'm nowhere near innocent. …But he is…he's so innocent…so pure…_ A violent shake shot through his body. Sudden feelings rushed through his circuits, feelings he never dared to feel nor admit. _No! How can I? I hate him! He took away my pride on numerous occasions! Took away my pride and every bit of faith Wily ever had in me! …And yet…_ Bass closed his eyes tightly, blocking everything from his line of vision. _How is it that I feel like this? I've hated him for so long, hated him with every fiber in my body. But maybe…_ His eyes opened slowly. _Perhaps…denial? Have I been denying it all this time? There's just something about him, something about the way he looks or fights…maybe it's the way he treats me. That must be it. He's always trying NOT to hurt me. Maybe he's right. Maybe we're not enemies._ "Maybe we're meant to be something more," Bass whispered, pressing a bare shoulder against the window as he gazed dreamily into the night sky.


	2. Hopes and Dreams

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Ecstasy of Blue  
Chapter Two: Hopes and Dreams  
By: Bibly

Rock gazed at the sun as it rose into the sky, basking in its early morning rays. Small, cotton-like clouds lay scattered throughout the sky, causing the small bioroid to smile softly. The sunrise was so beautiful, so enchanting… If only he had someone to watch it with. Someone whom he could hold, could love… He sighed, turning his blue-eyed gaze to the roof on which he sat. There would be no possible way to get his object of affection to spend quality time with him without him trying to blow the Blue Bomber's brains out. Rock sighed again, running a hand through his black hair.

"You love him, don't you?" someone questioned, startling Rock. Whirling around, he came face-to-face with a pair of sunglasses.

"HOLY-!" Rock stumbled back, nearly falling off the roof.

Blues chuckled. "Whoo, calm down there, bro! Didn't think you'd react like that!"

"Well, how would you react if someone suddenly shoved their face right in front of yours while you were sitting around by yourself?!"

Blues thought for a second as he rubbed his chin with his hand. A smile slowly appeared on his face as he snapped his fingers. "I'd punch 'em in the nose! Yep. I'd say that sounds about right." He chuckled as Rock rolled his eyes. "But that's besides the point," he added, sitting next to his brother. Placing an arm around Rock's shoulders lazily, he repeated, "You love him, don't you?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Rock replied quickly, hiding his face from Blues as his cheeks took a pink hue.

Blues' rubbed Rock's shoulder, trying to get his younger brother to open up to him. Blues was his older brother, and as such, he had a right to be protective of him no matter what the situation may be. "You're lying, Rock. And you know I don't like it when people lie. Especially to me. Now tell me. Honestly." He moved before Rock, grabbing him by the shoulders and staring into his eyes. "Do you love him?"

Rock stared back at him, feeling his face redden even more as he thought of the one in question. _Bass…_ He didn't want to say anything, afraid that his brother might yell at him for falling in love with the enemy. _But he ISN'T the enemy! I know he isn't! I know!_ Did everyone else know, was the question that clawed at heart and mind. But no matter what the answer, Rock knew that if he didn't tell him, Blues would continue to push the subject until he finally gave in and spilled it all out.

Slowly, Rock pulled away. He looked off to the side, watching as a few birds flew out of the nearby forest before whispering, "Promise you won't get mad?"

"Yes," Blues answered him, raising his right hand. "May my scarf burn in hell if I do. And you know that if my scarf's on the line, I better damn well mean what I say."

Rock brought his knees up to his chest, hugging them against himself as tightly as he could. He closed his eyes tightly, finding it hard to tell his brother how he truly felt about Bass. _If it's this hard telling Blues, then there's no possible way to tell Bass!_ "…Yes. I do…"

"You crazy love-sick fool!" Blues shouted, slapping him on the back with a laugh, knocking the wind out of Rock. Rock stared at him, his eyes wide. Blues was laughing loudly, a large smile on his face. "I knew it! You two always let each other go home alive; I knew something was there as soon as I saw that! It's so obvious!" Rock blushed. _O-obvious? I never thought about it being obvious…_ "So, when're you gonna tell him?"

"Are you kidding?!" Rock shouted in shock. "There's no way he feels the same way! Every single time I see him, all he wants to do is kill me! I can even see it in his eyes!"

"But how about," Blues murmured, pressing a finger up to his brother's chest, "in his heart?"

"…Huh?"

"Think about it, bro." Blues patted Rock on the back, and then stood up. "Just think about it. I'm sure you'll realize the truth behind the matter." And with that, he left just as silently as he had came.

Rock blinked. _…His heart…_ He sighed as he returned to gazing at the sunrise, its brilliance glistening in his soft blue eyes as he longed for the only one his heart desired.

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

Bass' heart pounded rapidly in his chest as warmth flooded into his body, experiencing pure passion for the first time in his life. He listened to Rock as he moaned, pleasure running through him as he lay in the hands of the one he thought wanted nothing more than to see his death. Bass kissed his stomach lightly, rubbing his hands along his love's hips and thighs before moving up to face him. Softly, he placed a hand on his cheek, pressing his lips against the Blue Bomber's lips. He nibbled on his bottom lip, begging Rock to allow him to take the kiss further. As Rock's lips parted slightly, Bass listened intently to his muffled moans when his tongue entered his mouth, rubbing against his own. The kiss felt like it lasted an eternity; an eternity that Bass cherished with all his heart. Breaking the kiss, he whispered, "Rock…Rock, I love you…" He opened his eyes to peer down into a pair of loving blue eyes, pleading him to continue onward, pleading him to do something that Rock didn't quite know how to explain… But it wasn't there. The eyes were empty, void of all emotion, and as Bass stared into them, trying to understand what he was seeing, a loud laughter irrupted from behind him.

"Excellent work, Bass! You've finally done it! You've finally rid me of that damn Mega Man!"

Bass blinked, pulling away from Rock's grip. Two loud thumps were heard as lifeless arms hit the ground, soon followed by a loud, pain-filled scream. Rock lay on the ground, fully clothed in his blue armor, but the blue was no longer that azure color Bass loved so much. Instead…it was black and blood red. Rock's eyes stared lifelessly into the sky, blood dripping from his mouth and every gash in his body. Chunks of his arms and legs had been blown completely away, while numerous cuts bled his life fluids out onto the floor.

__

O-oh no… No! Rock, NO! Bass stared at his love, his lifeless body lying before him. His eyes widened suddenly. _But how…?_ Memories of his past suddenly came to mind. He slowly remembered what he had told Dr. Wily the day he realized his feelings for the blue bioroid. _"Next time, HIS blood will be splattered against the concrete, HIS blood with drip off my very fingertips, HIS blood will seep from his body as he takes his last gasps for air before finally dying like the lowly dog he is!!" But how is that possible?! I love him! I LOVE HIM!_ Bass collapsed to his knees in a fit of tears, burying his face in his hands. "No…no…Rock…" He peered at him through his fingers, sobs shaking his body as he refused to believe the sight before him. Pulling his hands away, he slammed them to the floor, an ear-piecing scream of anger and sadness escaping his mouth as tears slid down his cheeks. But just as quickly as the tears had started flowing from his eyes, his scream changed into an insane laughter. Glancing at the body, he quickly closed his eyes and tossed his head back, his laughter echoing into the endless black void that surrounded him. "He's dead! He's finally DEAD! I finally killed him! I've killed the one who took away my honor!" he shouted with glee, clenching his fists as his laughter filled the air. But even as he laughed, even as insanity took over his circuits, the hot tears continued to flow from his eyes and onto the face of the cold, lifeless Rock…

Bass felt as though his heart was going to leap out of his chest when his eyes shot open. He was suddenly overcome by confusion as he stared at the metallic ceiling that lay above him. Propping himself up on his elbows, he looked about the room, slowly realizing that he was lying within his bedroom. _It was just a nightmare. A nightmare. Just…a nightmare…_ Taking a deep breath to calm his breathing, he ran a hand though his hair a few times, cocking his head to the side as he thought over the nightmare. Part of him was still scared about what he had witnessed, what he had done; the other part…the other part was what worried him even more than what he had just seen. It longed for Rock's death. Seeing his blood pooling on the floor filled him with a vicious hunger, and as long as that hunger existed, he knew that it wouldn't be safe for Bass to love him. His arm hung over the edge of the bed as he rolled over onto his stomach, watching as Treble slept silently at his bedside. He sighed. He loved Rock so much, he wanted to be with him so badly, but his programming had not yet given up on his soul purpose. Although he was given the ability to think, to feel, and to make his own decisions, he was still a robot who still had a purpose – a program to which he was supposed to follow. And that program was making what could be the happiest days since his activation nothing more than a faint dream.

Picking himself up from his bed, Bass reached over and scratched Treble behind the ears. Treble yawned as he awoke from the touch. He looked up at his master, who smiled down at him. "'Morning, Treble," he said. The dog barked in reply. Bass ruffled the synthetic hairs on Treble's head before glancing over at the body-length mirror that hung on the far wall. Stretching, he watched as his abs appeared more defined at the slight movement, then smirked. "I'm one sexy bitch!" he stated sarcastically, laughing to himself. Reaching for his armor, he peered out the window and into the mountains that surrounded the fortress, thoughts racing through his mind without a single sign of stopping.

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

Blues snickered to himself as he watched his younger brother catch a football some ways away, then lose his balance and fall to the ground with a loud "phump." Cupping his hands around his mouth, he shouted, "Nice catch, bro! That fall was ever so graceful!" He laughed when he noticed that Rock had begun shaking his fist at him as he continued to lay on the soft grass. Blues was soon at his side, leaning over slightly, and peering down at Rock with a large grin cross his face. "Heheh, that was such a great fall."

"Nya!" Rock retaliated, still shaking his fist at his older brother. "At least I caught it!"

"Yeah, which is hard enough to believe in itself."

"Hey!"

Blues laughed at the look of anger that appeared on his brother's young, innocent face. "I'm just kidding with you, kiddo. Calm down. Here, lemme help you." Grabbing Rock's fist, Blues hoisted him up onto his feet, then helped dust him off. "Roll'd kill me if you walked into the house covered in dirt."

Rock blinked. "Why would she kill you? I'd be the dirty one."

"Yeah, but I was the one who took you out to begin with."

"Oh yeah."

Ruffling the shorter bioroid's black hair, Blues asked, "Well, since I think we've both had enough of playing one-on-one football and what have you, and I'm pretty damn hungry, what'dya say we go get some munchies?"

Rock's eyes lit up at the mention of food. "YEAH! I'm STARVING!"

Blues laughed again, wrapping his arms around Rock's shoulders and giving him a slight hug. "You're a good kid, Rock. A little weird at times, but a good kid nonetheless."

Despite the fact he had just been called weird, Rock smiled happily at his brother's comment. He loved his brother with all his heart; he looked up to him and always knew that when he had something he wanted to talk about that Blues was always somewhere around him, watching him, waiting in the shadows until a helping hand was needed. And, although he was the only one who knew the truth about Rock's feelings for Bass, he was still very supportive, knowing that the very thought of telling Wily's greatest creation to date was plaguing him, scratching at his mind nearly every second of every day. Blues tried his hardest to make Rock forget about telling him for at least a short while, but still made sure that Rock never denied is true feelings.

Placing his hands in his pant pockets, Blues smiled slightly as Rock spoke to him, laughing and chatting like a young child would. Although he usually appeared cocky and heartless, Blues carried deeply about his family, and seeing that they were happy was all he ever truly wanted. He knew that the smile on Rock's face would slowly fade in time as thoughts of Bass resurfaced in his mind, but until then, he was pleased to see that he was having a good time. Blues loved helping his family, especially his younger brother, and knowing that he was chosen as the one to keep Rock's mind off of his troubles made him feel that – for the first time since he was created – he was doing something worthy of being called the Blue Bomber's older brother. He smiled when he heard Rock's boyish giggle ring like a soft bell through his thoughts. Behind his sunglasses, his eyes softened. _I can only hope that everything works out, Rock. For your sake, as well as Bass'._


	3. Fate

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Ecstasy of Blue  
Chapter Three: Fate  
By: Bibly

"BLUES!!" Roll shouted from the hallway as she stood before the front door to the house, her hands on her hips with her blue-eyed gaze locked on the large muddy mess that was now stuck to the carpet. "Blues, get down here right NOW!"

Blues paused the video game he was playing against Rock and smirked. "See, I told you! Now, don't you dare cheat!" He stood and jogged out the bedroom door. "I'll be right back…hopefully!" he added sarcastically as he disappeared out the door.

Rock couldn't help but giggle at his brother's misfortune. Blues himself stated that if Rock walked into the house covered in mud and dirt, Roll would have killed him. Although they had both thought they were pretty clean for just playing a game of football against one another, they had forgotten to check their shoes, which had apparently been covered in mud.

Dropping his controller, Rock laid back on the floor, placing his hands behind his head as he gazed up at the ceiling. A smile crept up onto his face as he listened to his two siblings' bickering. After a few moments, he heard Dr. Light join into the argument. He took both sides, as he usually did during that kind of thing, saying that Roll had a right to be angry with them for trailing mud everywhere, but at the same time said that Roll shouldn't yell. The Light siblings may have been bioroids, but when it came to being a family, they were just like every other one they came across.

Rock sighed as he closed his eyes. It was a rarity to actually have the whole family together under the same roof, and although he wanted nothing more than to bask in the joy of being able to spend time everyone at one time, his mind was still plagued with thoughts of Bass. A frown tainted his young face. The very thought of the black-armored bioroid made Rock feel anxious. It was hard enough telling Blues how he felt about Bass, and with that said, how was he going to tell the one he actually had those feelings for? _Maybe I shouldn't tell him. Everyone'd probably be better off if I never said anything._ The very thought made him imagine what Blues would say if he brought up the idea. _"Don't even THINK of doing something like that! You HAVE to tell him how you feel! You shouldn't block out your emotions like that!"_ Rock couldn't help but smirk at the thought. If he didn't tell Bass how he felt, Blues would probably put his buster to Rock's head and demand that he tell him. Good old Blues. Always there to get things done in some way, shape, or form.

"Hey, Rock! C'mon down, bro! Roll wants to rip your head off!" Blues shouted, breaking Rock's train to thought.

"BLUES!" Roll shouted. A loud "thunk" could be heard from her hand connecting with the back of Blues' head.

Jogging out of the room, Rock hopped down the stairs to meet up with his two siblings.

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

Bass smirked to himself as he walked down one of the many long corridors within the Skull Fortress. All of the Robot Masters he passed by seemed to do nothing more than glance at him, and as soon as he looked towards their direction, their gaze would fall and peer elsewhere. He didn't mind the others being somewhat afraid of him. Fear was always a good thing from Bass' point of view, and the more fear he struck into others, the more his life seemed to have some sort of meaning.

Walking into the lab, he spotted Wily typing on a large computer, information flashing across the screen. "All right, I'm here, doc," Bass stated, stopping behind him. "What did you want?"

Wily stared at him out of the corner of his eye. "It's about time you got here, Bass." Gazing back up at the screen, he continued ,"I have decided that you shall attack Mega Man tonight!"

Bass raised an eyebrow. "Tonight? You've never attacked two days in a row before."

"Exactly!" Wily shouted, turning around. "He won't be expecting it! Since he'll be taken by surprise, it will be easy to dispose of him!"

Baring his teeth, Bass nodded. " Very well."

"You will attack at sunset. And you better kill him!" Wily yelled as Bass left the lab.

Bass sighed as he returned to his room. Opening the door, he was greeted by Treble, who licked at his hand until Bass finally petted him behind his ears. "Well Treble, it looks like we're gonna attack Mega Man tonight." He pulled the door open once again. "Come on. Let's go outside until it's time to leave."

Following his master out of the room, Treble walked along side Bass as they wandered down the numerous hallways and out the front entrance, walking out onto a barren landscape. Not a single tree that stood scattered across the area had leaves on them, the grass was dead, and the mountains that hid the fortress from view cast eerie shadows on the ground.

Bass sighed, rubbing his temples with a gloved hand. "Looks like we've got about an hour until it's time to move." Walking over to a large boulder that stood a ways away from the fortress, he sat down upon it and rested his chin in his hands. He knew that his programming would probably force him to kill Rock. After all, as a bioroid, whatever feelings he had weren't supposed to confuse him with his programming. If that were to happen, no one knew the outcome. However, Bass knew that he would soon find out.

Rubbing his face with his hands, Bass looked down at Treble. He sat at his feet, looking out into the dead forest that surrounded them. _What am I gonna do? I'm supposed to kill him, but I don't really want to…_ He stared up at the night sky for a while. Before he knew it, it was time for them to be on the move. "Treble, let's go." Looking up at Bass, Treble nodded. Jumping into the air, a white light enveloped the two of them, and once it subsided, only one of them was standing. Bass, who now had wings on his back and who's gold trim had taken a purple hue, clenched his fists and disappeared into the sky within a beam of light. _Maybe it's fate that we have to fight like this, Rock. Fate never does since down upon me, anyway._


	4. Empty Homes and Ice Cream

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Ecstasy of Blue  
Chapter Four: Empty Homes and Ice Cream  
By: Bibly

As the afternoon sun slowly sunk behind the horizon, a purple beam of light came crashing to the ground, suddenly taking the form of Bass as his feet touched the ground. Looking about the area, his red irises landed upon a big house that stood a few yards away, partially hidden by the forest that resided around it. Baring his teeth, he slowly headed towards it, trying to be as quiet and unnoticeable as he possibly could. _This is it…_, he thought as he peered from behind a tree. After cracking his knuckles, his right hand sunk into its cufflink, taking the shape of his deadly buster cannon. Bass took a deep breath and then bolted towards the unsuspecting family.

"Your life ends now, Mega Man!" Bass snarled as he charged his buster cannon and shot a large bolt of plasma at the door. The door busted open upon impact, swirls of smoke flying into the sky. Charging his buster once more, the black-armored bioroid jumped through the smoldering hole and into the living quarters of the Light family compound, expecting to hear screams of surprise. Bass hissed through his teeth as he looked around. The house was empty! Not a single living thing could be seen! "Damn it…damn it!" he cursed to himself. _This is just fucking great!_ A loud bark suddenly brought him to look straight ahead. Rock's faithful mutt Rush could be seen sprinting down the hall towards him. Bass sighed and shot at the dog, watching as he fell to the ground with a loud whimper and stopped functioning.

As he ventured further into the house, his teeth clenched together so tightly Bass felt as if his prized fangs might actually snap under the pressure, memories from when he first entered the Blue Bomber's house reappeared in his mind. He had tricked Rock into thinking that he was working against Wily just so he could steal the plans needed for upgrades on his armor. It had worked perfectly, much to Bass' surprise. _Why can't this damn thing just end already!_

Bass slowly shook his head, bringing himself out of his train of thought, and upon raising his gaze, he realized he was standing in front of a closed door. His eyes scanned the door for a moment until landing on a small sign hanging idly a few inches before the top. His eyes widened. "'Rock's Room'…?" _Should I…go inside…?_ Bass' eyes slowly narrowed as he stared at the sign, an inner conflict ripping at him.

__

I wonder what his room's like…

****

What does it matter? Your mission is to kill Mega Man!

No! I'm not going to kill him!

****

It's what you were programmed to do, Bass. There's nothing you can do about it.

Like Hell there isn't!

****

Fight it all you want. You're fighting a lost battle.

His hand suddenly clamped onto the doorknob as tightly as it could. _I WILL NOT KILL HIM!_ Bass shouted at himself as he flung the door open. He didn't so much as wince when the door crashed against the wall. He was immediately captivated by the almost calming effect the Blue Bomber's room seemed to have. It looked just like Bass had thought it would: action figures stood on shelves, all of them in the silly little poses they were all created to stand in for the rest of their existence; board games could be seen poking out from beneath his bed; a game counsel sat near the bottom of a rather large television, numerous games stacked next to it; books stood in the far corner on a rather large book case, all of them showing ware and tear.

Slowly, Bass headed into the room, completely forgetting what he had originally come to do.

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

Dr. Light smiled as he watched his "children" chat and laugh amongst themselves. Tokyo was as busy as always; people walking to their destinations, cars zooming past, everyone doing something that the city had to offer. Much to everyone's delight, the Light family had decided to go out for dessert after dinner that evening.

"Hey Rock, remember that time Roll was chasing you around the house cuz you spilled oil on the carpet, and she ran right into the wall? Oh man, that was classic!" Blues laughed loudly, dodging a punch that had been thrown in his direction by his younger sister.

Rock laughed as well. "I remember that! I couldn't stop laughing for hours!"

"It wasn't funny!" Roll replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "It hurt a lot!"

"Yeah, but that's what makes it so funny," Blues snickered. "Man, the sound you made when you crashed into that wall, and that string of swears that came out of your mouth after that… I didn't know you knew such words!"

"Dad!" Roll whined as she turned to their 'father.' "Tell them to stop picking on me!"

Dr. Light chuckled as he lovingly placed a worn hand on her shoulder. "Now now, you two. Stop picking on your sister."

"Yeah, sure, the wall just shouldn't have been there, right Rock?" Blues snorted, a large grin still worn on his face as Rock nodded in agreement.

"BLUES!"

The two Light boys laughed as their younger sister chased them down the block and into a nearby ice cream shop. Dr. Light shook his head as he watched them disappear past the doors. "At least it's good to have everyone together for once," he stated happily. Upon joining up with them, he spotted Blues holding Rock in a headlock as he gave him a noggy with Rock laughing and trying to get out of his grip. "You two, cut it out!" Dr. Light muttered as he walked past them and up to the counter. "Now, what do you three want?" Before the good doctor even realized it, his two sons had rushed before the counter, telling the vendor what they wanted at the same time. The young girl who stood behind the counter looked quite baffled as she listened to the two try to out-shout each other. Dr. Light just smiled softly as he waited to pay for the frozen treats.

Now content with their choice of ice cream, Rock, Roll, and Blues proceeded to talk amongst themselves on a bench outside the store entrance, leaving Dr. Light to tend to a few lab notes he had brought along at a nearby table.

"Hey guys, I heard a really raunchy joke before I came home. Wanna hear it? But I've gotta warn ya, it's pretty bad!" Blues asked as he gnawed on his ice cream cone, the vanilla ice cream that had been on it a few moments earlier now nothing more than faint pieces of material within his robotic belly.

Rock nodded. "I wanna hear it!"

"Me, too," Roll added.

"Okay then. What did the gynecologist say to his wife when he got home?" Noticing that neither of his siblings had an answer for the question after a few moments of silence, Blues answered, "'Honey, I'm bushed.' Get it?" He suddenly burst out laughing at the sight of Rock and Roll's expressions. "I told you it was bad!"

"Yeah, but that's just…BAD!" Rock shouted, soon joining his brother in his fit of uncontrollable laughter.

Roll rolled her eyes at them. "You guys are so immature!"

"Immaturity makes for interesting living," Blues answered, finishing off the last of his cone before removing his sunglasses and cleaning them on his scarf. "Besides, what kind of brother would I be if I wasn't somewhat immature? I'm rarely home, so when I am, I've gotta make up for lost time!"

"But why do you gotta be immature?" Roll inquired, raising an eyebrow at him.

"It comes with the territory," Blues replied as he placed his sunglasses back in their trademark position. "It's one of the few things I've gotta make up for. I'm gone for five months, then you get five months worth of immaturity within the time span I'm home. I'm gone for a year, then a year's worth, and so on and so forth. Besides, when it comes to being immature, Rock lacks in that department! I've gotta make living in that house interesting!"

"Hey, I can be just as immature as the next guy!" Rock shouted, pointing at Blues with his ice cream cone.

"Sure, sure," Blues agreed, patting him on the back. The two watched as Roll slowly stood up and headed towards Dr. Light before a fight broke out. Blues smirked. _Good, good, I need to talk to Rock in private anyway._ "Anyway, Rock," he started, sitting Indian-style on the bench and facing his brother. "All the immaturity aside, we need to figure out how and when you're going to tell Bass about your feelings."

"Blues, why can't you just drop it?" Rock snapped suddenly, aggravated. "You're making a bigger deal out of this than I am!"

Blues glared at him from behind his sunglasses. "With good reason! I don't want you to end up like me!"

Rock raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Alone, Rock," he muttered. "Alone."

"But…you choose to be alone."

"And that's what you're doing." Blues shook his head, placing his chin in the palm of his hand. "Don't choose to be alone, Rock. I do all the time, yes, and I'm quite used to it, but I don't want you to go through the same thing that I went through. It took so long for me to get used to it, what with me not being able to find my way back home after that damn accident… But within that amount of time, I went through such stages of mental anguish that you wouldn't believe, and someone as innocent as you – although used to the battlefield and used to the painful emotions that have to do with it – wouldn't be able to take it for very long. The emotions that run through your circuits in such a situation is nowhere near the emotions you suffer through when you're alone." Sighing, he removed his glasses, rubbing his temples with his thumb and forefinger. The very thought of what Blues had gone through was bad enough. He didn't want anyone to have to go through what he had gone through, especially not his younger brother. "What I'm saying is, just…we need to figure out what to do, Rock. I want to help you through this. I'll be kicking myself in the ass of this damn thing doesn't get a happy ending."

Rock watched as his older brother slowly placed his trademark sunglasses back on his face and regained his confident posture. The two stared at each other for a while, both wondering if the other was going to say something to end the silence, before the two slowly formed identical soft smiles on their faces. Rock was glad that Blues was willing to help him with his current situation. He was always there for him, no matter what was going on or what was in the way. Rock always wished that he could some day return the favor, but knew that such a day was far off from their current day. But he didn't mind. Blues probably didn't even want any sort of payment for all his help, not that Rock would listen to him even if he told him so anyway.

"Thanks a bunch, Blues," Rock said with a smile as he and his brother both stood and followed the rest of their family home.


	5. Accidents

****

Ecstasy of Blue  
Chapter Five: Accidents  
By: Bibly

Rock and Blues continued chatting even as they piled into the family van, taking their usual seats in the back. The somewhat depressing mood that had befallen the two earlier had lifted, leaving them both rather cheery and happy within each other's presence.

"So the guy tried to grab for my shield and – oh man, you know how ticked I get if someone tries to take that thing away from me – so I punched him in the gut and ran off! He shoulda been glad I didn't beat the crap out of him for that; damn Robot Masters," Blues stated with a lighthearted chuckle as he finished telling Rock another story from one of the many adventures he had while out on his own. He smirked as his younger brother stared at him with wide, admiring eyes.

Rock beamed with happiness when Blues had finished telling his tale. He loved his brother, there was no doubting that, and the stories he told when he came back from his 'alone time' made him love and admire him even more. "Wow, Blues! That sounded _awesome_!" he cheered as Dr. Light sped down the street. "Do you know what he did after that?"

"Well, from what I saw, he just kinda fell to the ground. His eyes were _huge_, too. Look in the mirror for a sec…" Reaching over to his brother as he gazed at the rear-view mirror, Blues placed his fingers on his eyelids gingerly and pushed slightly, making Rock's eyes slightly bigger. "He looked kinda like that." Rock giggled in response. "It was hilarious; I couldn't help but laugh at him."

"If that shield causes that much of a problem, maybe I shouldn't have given it to you in the first place," Dr. Light added sarcastically, butting into their conversation.

Blues' eyes widened at his remark. "Oh, hell no! That thing is like my best friend!" Everyone laughed at his reaction. They all knew he was going to react like that; it was the same way with both his scarf and his sunglasses as well. Blues continued to talk about his proto-shield throughout the rest of the ride home.

~ * - - - - - - - - - - - * ~

Walking up to Rock's bed, Bass stared down at it, his mind racing. _What am I doing in here? I've seen what it looks like, so why did I go inside?_ Slowly, he turned and sat on the bed, his eyes widening slightly as he came in contact with it. "It's so…soft!" he shouted just as Treble parted from their fusion. "Treble, look at this!" Bass pushed down against the mattress, admiring its softness. "This is way better then the bed I've got! Here, come up here."

Joining his master on the bed, Treble yelped lightly in surprise. Rock's bed was indeed quite soft, much softer than Bass' own bed. Circling in his spot slightly, the robotic dog laid down just as Bass himself laid back.

"Man, this is defiantly a comfy bed," Bass muttered, closing his eyes. As his mind wandered, his programming found an opening within his thoughts and began to torment him once again.

**__**

The time to kill Mega Man is coming, Bass.

Bass closed his eyes tightly as his program resurfaced. _I already told you, I'm NOT going to kill him._

****

I am your programming, Bass. You can't possibly fight me.

Just watch me.

If it was possible for his programming to laugh, he could have sworn that it would have laughed right there and then.

**__**

Try all you want and whatever you want. You may be able to ignore your programming for a small amount of time, but you can't deny me. You won't be able to ride on these petty emotions forever. You'll slip one day, and when you do, you'll be basking in the blood of your sworn enemy.

Bass rolled to his side, grabbing at his head. "Shut up! Just…shut UP!" he shouted, startling Treble. Treble began to lick at his face, wondering what could have possibly caused his master to yell out in such a painful way. Opening his eyes, the ebony bioroid peered at his dog with pain-filled eyes. "Treble…" He slowly reached out and scratched him behind the ears. "This is gonna be much harder than I originally thought, boy…"

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

"That sure was fun!" Rock shouted as he jumped out of the van and stretched.

"Ice cream is muy delicioso," Blues added, slamming the car door behind him. Readjusting his scarf, he looked about the forest before stepping up to his brother. "Rock, is it just me, or is it really damn quiet out here?"

Rock shook his head, glancing about through narrowed eyes. "No…no, it's not just you… Something is defiantly wrong here." An ear-piercing scream cut though the eerie silence that had befallen the forest. The two brothers raced to Roll's side and stared at the sight before them. The door had been blown ajar from a large plasma blast and was now nothing more than a soldering hole. "Impossible!" As he stared at the door, a sudden thought came to mind: _Bass_. He was there, inside the house, probably looking for him so he could blast his head clear off his shoulders. Rock grew nervous. _Please don't let it be Bass… I don't want to fight him, not now, not ever. PLEASE don't let it be!_ He suddenly felt something bump into his shoulder. Turning to look at what it was, he spotted Blues in his red and gray armor, staring intently at his younger brother through his dark sunglasses.

Blues could tell by the worried look in Rock's eyes that he didn't want to step inside the house. He didn't want to face Bass, fearing that his feelings for the Wily 'bot would be blown to pieces. Walking to his side, Blues placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. A warm smile appeared on his lips. "Don't worry your crazy little head," he whispered reassuringly. "This love story will be completed."

Rock continued to stare at him. He had begun to shake slightly, scared. "But what if it doesn't have a happy ending?" he whispered shakily.

"Oh, it will have a happy ending, Rock. It will."

Smiling softly at his brother's faith in Bass' supposed feelings for the little Blue Bomber, Rock felt something click within him and was suddenly surrounded by a pale light. His blue armor quickly appeared on him, and upon taking a deep breath, he gazed at Blues one last time – receiving an encouraging smile – before slowly walking through the door, peering about cautiously. He heard Dr. Light and Roll asking Blues what they had been whispering about, and as he listened to their quick footsteps heading towards safety, Rock knew that Blues was informing them of the recent occurrences that they weren't aware of. He didn't care, though. They needed to know. He wasn't even sure why he didn't tell them to begin with. But it didn't matter now. All that mattered now was that Bass was inside their home, and Rock was determined to learn the truth about Bass' feelings and know if it was truly as he felt it was: one sided.

Rock continued to look around the family room – clearly surprised that it was in perfect condition and not torn apart in bought of rage – until a soft whimpering brought him to the side of his faithful red mutt. "Rush!" he shouted as he collapsed on his knees at his side. Rock's shout must have been louder than he had thought, as he heard a sudden creak. The creak was familiar to him. It could have come from only one place… _My room!_ Dashing from Rush's side down the hall to his room, Rock pressed himself against the wall before bounding before the door, buster cannon already aimed at his head via force of habit. Bass stood his ground with Treble before him, the dog's teeth bared in protection. Treble knew Bass' feelings for the azure bioroid that stood before them, but even so, at the very sight of danger, Treble was ready and willing to fight for his master's survival.

__

Damn it, I need to know! I want to know! But look at how he's staring at me…he hates me, damn it!

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

__

What do I do? Do I tell him? Do I fight him? Fucking a', what do I do?! Bass stared at Rock from beneath his helmet, his emotions and programming engaging in a mental war that seemed to paralyze him. In a sudden effort to want to do nothing more than clear his mind even though he had the perfect opportunity to blurt out his feelings, he charged his cannon and blew a hole in the wall closest to him, destroying many action figures and part of Rock's bed. Dashing through the smoldering hole, the war still raging within his mind, he closed his eyes tightly to block out what was going on within him, not knowing that an obstacle had suddenly jumped in his way. He tumbled to the ground as numerous colorful words flew from his mouth, and in that slight moment of surprise, his programming bested his emotions and appeared with full force.

"Who the fuck just tripped me?!" he shouted, jumping to his feet and whirling around. Rush, panting and still damaged, slowly got to his feet, knocked to the ground by the force of the blow. Grinning madly, Bass aimed his buster at the dog. "Time to die, lil' doggy."

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

"NO!" Rock shouted as he burst from the smoking hole, straight at the black armored bioroid. Taking a swift kick at his midsection, he watched as Bass jumped into the air, avoiding the blow without a problem. _Great, this is just great._ Dashing to where Bass had landed, the two engaged in a fist fight, blows landing here and there on both of them, but neither of them completely taken aback by any of the blows. _This definatly isn't how I wanted this to go._ Rock slammed to the ground when Bass' fist connected with his cheek. Rolling out of the way just before he was able to get his head blasted with plasma, he got to his feet and turned about, blocking a kick to the face and retaliating with a swift punch to Bass' gut. _But I knew it._ Rock watched as he stumbled back before releasing a storm of plasma blasts upon him. _He hates me._

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

"Fuck!" Bass yelled at the top of his lungs. He blocked as much as he possibly could, but was still singed by much of the blast. Sliding to the side, he charged his buster as much as he possibly could before releasing the ball, a large grin on his face when he noticed Rock wasn't even paying attention. Much to his dismay, Rock managed to take a large step to the side just before it slammed into him, but instead of hitting him, it hit someone else. A loud scream suddenly filled the night sky. It was soon accompanied by someone shouting, "Roll!"

"Roll?" Bass questioned, suddenly taken aback. _I wasn't fighting a 'Roll.' I was fighting him! Mega Man!_ As he glared at Rock, who had dashed into the forest despite their ongoing battle, Bass' emotions resurfaced. _Mega Man? …Rock…?_ He shook his head and stared down at his hands. _What am I doing? I don't' want to kill him!_

****

Yes you do.

No I don't!

****

Don't deny it.

I'm not denying it! I'm stating the truth!

****

You're denying it.

Bass grabbed at his head, recoiling in mental anguish. "Stop it, God damn it! Just fucking STOP IT!" A loud scream escaped from his mouth as he tossed his head back and fell to his knees just before he disappeared into the night sky in a beam of golden light.

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

"Roll! Roll, what happened?! Where did he hit you?!" Rock shouted in a panic. He ran as fast as he could to where Roll lay on the ground, her arm torn completely off her body in the blow. Blues and Dr. Light were knelt at her side, Blues speaking to her as Dr. Light inspected which of the main circuits had been destroyed. "Oh my God…Roll!" Rock knelt next to her, gazing into her pain-filled face. "Roll, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"I'm afraid she can't hear you, Rock," Dr. Light answered softly. "Her circuits froze upon the blast. I need you to get Bass away from the house so I can repair her as quickly as possible!"

__

Bass… Rock closed his eyes tightly. _He did this… He did this to Roll… _"Bass, you're making this harder and harder on me…!" Rock shouted as he broke away from his family and ran back to where the man all his love and yet all his anger was directed to. But although he was filled with anger and his good judgment had seemingly disappeared, he was completely taken aback by what he had returned to. Bass was stumbling back, grasping at his head as he screamed before finally falling to his knees and disappearing into the night sky, soon followed by Treble. "Get back here! This isn't over yet!"

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

Bass struggled to keep on his feet as he landed a few miles away from the Light compound, his hands still grasping at his head. "Stop it, stop it!" he shouted repeatedly as he slammed his head against a nearby tree, keeping it there as he ground his teeth together. But the programming wouldn't stop. It was stronger than ever now. Now that his emotions were fighting the best they could against his programming, the pain of his mental state was unbearable. "I said STOP IT!" he yelled one last time. He couldn't take it anymore. It was all too much. _When is all of this going to just fucking stop?!_

****

When you kill him. 

A sudden blast echoed into the sky, causing his programming – as well as his emotions – to become jumbled. His pain-filled face suddenly relaxed as his hands slowly slipped from his head. His body landed with a thud on the soft green grass as Rock stood behind him, gasping for air while smoke swirled from the end of his buster cannon.


	6. Silent Truth

****

Ecstasy of Blue  
Chapter Six: Silent Truth  
By: Bibly

"Bass! Bass!" Rock giggled as Bass nipped at his neck lightly. "That tickles!"

Bass grinned at Rock's remark, lifting the smaller bioroid's shirt slightly and running his hand over his well-formed belly. Had he found out that Rock felt the same way he himself felt earlier, all of the things he had gone through probably could have been avoided. It probably would have been easier for him to fight against his programming, but then, there was no way to find out now.

Gazing up at the Blue Bomber's face, Bass' grin widened slightly upon seeing his usual childish smile across his face. "Having fun?" he questioned, laughing slightly when Rock nodded his head. "Good, good." Running a hand through Rock's hair, Bass pressed his lips against his own, kissing him briefly before pulling away and looking down at him. Rock smiled sweetly, then looked past him to the night sky above.

"It's a beautiful night," Rock stated softly.

Moving to lay next to him, Bass gazed up at the night sky as well. "Sure is." He wrapped his arms around Rock as he pressed against him, sighing when he felt Rock's face nuzzle against his chest. Closing his eyes, Bass basked in the smaller bioroid's warmth before noticing that something was amiss. The warmth was slowly fading and was being replaced by a sever pain in his side. _What in the -?_ Upon trying to open his eyes, a spark of pain shot through him, making him bare his teeth to stop from screaming out. After a few moments, he was able to open his eyes slightly. His eyes widened a bit when he noticed that he was lying on the ground alone with his armor still in its place. He grasped the ground with his hand. As he pushed himself up, Bass cringed in pain. Where was this pain coming from? And WHY was he laying on the ground by himself? Using a nearby tree as a source of balance, he pulled himself to his feet, and then gazed down. He gasped. A rather large chunk of his left side had been blown off, leaving his broken circuits left open to the dark world around him. One large circuit seemed to have been rebuilt, however, meaning that the reason behind his black out was that one of his main circuits had been severely damaged. _Thank you for that damn fast auto repair system, Wily. But, who –_ Soft sobs could be heard coming from behind him. Bass turned around, then gasped upon seeing who it was.

__

Rock.

The Blue Bomber's helmet had been thrown to the side as he sat on the ground, his face buried in his hands. Treble sat some ways away from him, eyeing him angrily. Bass was surprised Treble hadn't tried to rip him to shreds, since he was the only one around.

__

Does that mean…he shot me? Bass blinked, still staring at him. _Then I guess it was pointless to fight my programming…_

Bass tried to step soundlessly to the side, not wanting Rock to see him, but as he did so, he stepped on a small twig. The soft snap that was sent into the night sky caused Rock to snap up and look at him. An angry look suddenly replaced his saddened expression. He took to his feet and bolted towards Bass, tears still falling from his eyes. "Damn you, Bass!"

"Rock, I –"

Rock slammed himself against the ebony bioroid, causing him to slam against the tree and yelp in pain. He took a swing at Bass' face, but his blue-gloved hand was easily stopped by Bass' white-gloved one, which slowly wrapped around it. Rock clung to him as sobs raked through his body. Bass was taken aback by what he was doing. Not only was Rock trying to bury his face in Bass' armor, but he had slowly placed his hand under his shoulder guard as well, trying to keep himself from buckling to the ground. "Why'd you do it, Bass?! Why? …Why…?"

__

Well, I guess… I might as well just do something… Bass shrugged as he wrapped his arms around Rock's waist. Without even thinking about it, he called off his armor, leaving him in his street clothes and allowing the smaller bioroid to bury his face even more. "Rock, I didn't mean to hit Roll." Rock continued to sob, not bothering to reply. Bass closed his eyes. "…I…I'm…sorry." Placing a finger under his chin, Bass lifted Rock's head so that they could see eye to eye. He smiled, wiping his tears away with his thumb. He slowly lend his head forward and kissed him lightly.

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

Rock's eyes widened. _Is this a dream? Just a sweet, sweet dream…?_ He was so surprised when Bass' lips touched his own that he had forgotten what he had been crying about. His eyes remained open for a few moments before he relaxed, closing his eyes and melting into the kiss. He had dreamt of the both of them like this for so long, but he never thought it would come true. He never thought that Bass felt anything close to even liking him. _Please, if this is a dream, don't let me wake up…_

The kiss soon ended, leaving both of them flustered and unsure of what to say. Rock stared up at him and watched as Bass' eyes slowly opened, revealing the two red irises that he had always thought portrayed his true emotions towards him. As they stood in each other's arms, Rock opened his mouth to say the three words he had been longing to say for so long, but just as the words were about to come out, Bass placed a finger against his lips softly. He smiled slightly before he closed his eyes once again and collapsed in Rock's arms.

"Bass!" Rock shouted as panic took over. "Bass! BASS!" Looking down, he saw that Bass' shirt was covered in the oil that had been leaking from the large wound in his side. "Damn it!" He shook his head quickly. " I can't teleport the both of us! But…" He turned and looked at Treble. He was gone! "Damn it!" Just as he returned his attention back to the bioroid in his arms, he felt something tug at his arm. Looking down, Rock spotted the purple dog. "Treble! Treble, can you teleport both yourself and Bass back to Dr. Light's lab?" Treble looked at him with an unwavering gaze. "Please Treble! Dr. Light will help him if I ask him to! He knows what's going on, I'm sure he'll help Bass more than Dr. Wily!"

With an slight growl, Treble bit down on Bass' sleeve and disappeared in a beam of purple light, carrying Bass with him. Rock did the same soon after they left. When he arrived at the Light compound, he retrieved Bass from Treble and bolted into the house, running as fast as he could before skidding to a halt within Dr. Light's lab. "Dad! Dad, you've gotta help Bass!"

"What happened?" Blues asked from his place at Dr. Light's side. The good doctor was nearly finished with repairing their sister, telling Rock that he, Bass, and Treble had been in the forest for much longer than it seemed.

"Well, you know how Bass got Roll? I got really pissed off and hit him in that one spot you told me about… You know, that one weak spot you found on Bass' schematics that dad retrieved when he was repairing Bass way back when?"

Blues blinked, walking up to them. "Didn't I tell you that it would also kill him if he was given enough time?"

Rock wailed. "Yes, yes, I know! But I was just so pissed, and I thought that he didn't care, and now I know…I-I…"

Despite what was at hand, Blues smiled. "I told you." Glancing back at Dr. Light, Rock and Blues noticed that he was already waiting for Bass to be laid on one of the lab tables.

As Rock placed him on one of the tables, Dr. Light looked at him and said softly, "Now go wait in the family room. I'll come and tell you when I'm done."

Rock nodded and left. He rubbed his sweaty hands on his t-shirt after he called his armor off. When he sat down on the couch, he stared at the ground even when Blues sat next to him and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"So, did you find out?" Blues asked softly.

Rock nodded. "I think so… I mean, after I shot him, he woke up a few hours later, and…" He sighed. "I didn't even realize what was going on until I felt his lips on mine…"

Blues smirked. "So ya kissed! Well, that's certainly good."

"Yeah, it is… But now he might die…" Rock started to cry once again, shaking his head as he covered his face with his hands. Blues wrapped his arms around his shoulders, rubbing Rock's arm lightly as he cried into his chest. They remained that way until the two of them fell asleep. After what seemed like mere moments, Blues was shaking Rock awake. "Huh…wha-?"

"He's all done, bro," Blues answered him, a cheerful yet sleepy smile on his face.

Blinking confusedly, Rock peered outside. He was surprised to see that it was light outside. Rock suddenly remembered what had happened and snapped his head to the side to peer back at his older brother. "Bass, he's…? Everything's…? …Where's dad?" he stammered as he stood to his feet.

A large smirk was worn on Blues' face as he stood next to his brother. "Dad's asleep. He's been up all night, after all." Patting Rock on the back, he turned and headed for the door that still remained busted open. "G'on and check up on him. Dad said he'll be online for a few minutes before fatigue knocks him out."

"Where're you going?"

Blues held up a piece of paper. "Dad needs some stuff from the store, and since Roll's out and you're all…yeah…I said I'd go get everything." He smiled. "Well, stop talking to me and go check up on Bass before he decides to take a nap!"

"Right!" Rock smiled briefly at Blues before running towards the lab. Hundreds of questions ran through his head as the hall flew past him. _Please, don't let that kiss be anything more than a dream…please…_

Pushing the door open, Rock looked around, spotting Rush and Roll lying on their lab tables before finding Bass. As if afraid of what he was about to see, Rock cautiously walked towards him. He watched as the now shirtless Bass' chest rose and fell slowly. His trunk was wrapped in cloth as to cover the newly repaired area until Bass felt he wanted to remove it.

"…Bass…," Rock whispered as he ran a finger over one of Bass' violet streaks. Bass grunted slightly in reply, still a bit groggy from being restarted. Rock stared down at him, taking in every bit of his appearance. He ran a hand through Bass' purple hair. He never saw him without his helmet before last night. Seeing his long, purple hair falling over his face and over was a complete change.

"Rock…," Bass murmured, opening his eyes slowly.

"Bass! Bass, you're awake!"

Silence over came the two of them as Bass looked around. "…Where am I?"

"You're in Dr. Light's lab. I took you here so he could repair you." Rock smiled at him softly. "…How…do you feel?"

Bass winced as he sat up, placing his arm across his belly as he rubbed his side softly. "I feel…like I got beat by a metallic bat over and over and over…"

Rock frowned. He glanced at Bass' hand and then at the tiled floor. "Bass…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that, it's just that you hit Roll and –"

"No, Rock, I…I'm the one that should be…sorry," Bass whispered as he stared at him. He touched Rock's face tenderly. Rock stirred and looked into his eyes, knowing that he was starting to blush. "And I'm hoping you can forgive me."

Rock smiled softly and touched Bass' hand. "Yes. I do… At least she's okay now."

"Good. Thank you…," Bass whispered as his eyelids began to droop. He yawned, showing Rock his fangs, and then laid back on the table. "I think I'm going to get some shut eye…" He smiled at Rock once more before drifting off.

Rock watched as he slept, a loving smile worn on his face as he rubbed the spot on his cheek where Bass' hand had touched him. Rock knew. Bass knew. After so many battles against each other, after so many threats and so much pain, they finally came to an understanding. They could finally live together in peace.

Without a moment's hesitation, Rock climbed onto the lab table next to Bass, wrapping his arms around him as he slept. He yawned, realizing that he barely slept at all that night. As he closed his eyes and waited for sleep to envelope him, he felt Bass nuzzle the crook of his neck with his face.

~ * - - - - - - - - - - * ~

Bass sighed as Rock's breathing began to slow. He could tell that the smaller bioroid had fallen asleep in mere moments, and as he pulled his head up to peer into the face of what was his sleeping nemesis, a single tear rolled down his cheek. _I'll be sorry when I can't fight my programming anymore, Rock... But I just want you to know…_

"…I love you…"

__

owari

_____________________________________________________________________________

__

Author's Note: Yay! My first and only finished fanfic! What did you guys think? Did you like it? Hate it? G'on and tell me! And also tell me this: Would you like to see a sequel to this? If enough people reply and wanna read more, I'll be more than happy to continue. ^_^ Anyway, thanks for reading, all!


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